is a
Village of about 1,600 residents on the west coast of
Vancouver Island , in
British Columbia ,
Canada , located at the western terminus of
Provincial Highway 4 . ()
Tofino was named after a
Spanish Mathematician and
Scientist , Jefe de Escuadra Tofino, who died in
1795 . It is located at the tip of the Esowista Peninsula, and is thus a part of
Clayoquot Sound . Islands in the vicinity include Meares, Vargas and
Flores . It and nearby
Ucluelet are the closest towns to the
Pacific Rim National Park Reserve .
A popular tourist destination in the summer, Tofino's population swells to many times its winter size. It attracts
Surfers , nature lovers, campers,
Whale watchers, or anyone just looking to be close to nature. In the winter it is not as busy, however, many people visit Tofino and the west coast to watch storms on the water. Close to Tofino is a scenic and popular year-round destination, Long Beach at the
Pacific Rim National Park Reserve .
Accommodation in Tofino includes bed and breakfast lodging, independent locally-run inns, and up-scale luxury resorts which are locally owned and operated.
Tofino has a small airport about ten minutes' drive from town. The airport is accessible to both
Float Plane s and very small passenger planes. Coastal
Fog is a common morning phenomenon in the summer, complicating access by air until the weather clears.
Accessing Tofino by car from the North American mainland involves taking a ferry to
Vancouver Island from
Vancouver or
Seattle , then driving several hours across the island. Ferry access from Vancouver is provided by
BC Ferries .
The
Ska band
The Planet Smashers recorded a song from their album
Life Of The Party titled
Surfin' In Tofino .
